Hairpin separating and measuring machine



H. P. SMITH.

HAIRPIN SEPARATJNG AND MEASURING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 20,1920.

1 ,406,587, Patented Feb. 14, 1922.

3 SHEETSSHEET v y gzf lifh H. P. SMITH.

HAIRPIN SEPARAHNG AND MEASURING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20 I920.

Patented Feb. 14, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- ZII O 000 H. P.- SMITH.

HAIRPIN SEPARATING AND MEASURING MACHINE.

I APPLICATION FILED JULY 20,1920.

Patented Feb. 14, 1922.

Homer P. Smflh gi w UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

HOMER r. s irrrn, orArrLEToN, wIsCoNsIN, 'AssIGNon '10 s oLnING' Lo xs I IRPIN I oomrnivxor APPLETON, WISCONSIN;

HAIBPIN SEPABATING AND mnAsUBINe MACHINE.

To all who m z'tmay concern 7 Be 1t known thatI, HOMER P.;;SM1TI-I, a

. citizen of the United States, and resident of Appleton, in the county of Outagamie and State of Wisconsin, have invented. certain new and useful Improvements in Hairpin Separating and-lVieasuring Machines; and Ido hereby declare' that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof. My invention relates to new 'and'useful improvements in machines "for separating and measuring, quantities of hairpins so as to enable thesame to be quickly packaged.

The primary object of this inventionpis to provide a machine of this character which by to increase the speed, of movement of the hairpins, and in connection therewith is also employed a device which will automatically retard the speed of the movement of thehairpins in case the agitatingsmeans is too active. I i

Ayfurther important object ofthe invention, is to provide a simply constructed and readily operable counting means, where- V by a desired number of hairpins may be separated from the supplies on the several magazine plates, asimilarnumber of hairpins being simultaneouslyseparated from the supplies on each oft-he said magazine'- platesr And in connection with this feature is used an arrangement for elevating the several selected groups ofhairpins above the magazineplates, to. facilitate the re moval thereof. i i V An additional object of the the invention, is to provide a counting mechanism of such a nature that each one of the several successive steps in the operation thereof may be easily and quickly-carried out in proper sequence by a single machine operator.

' Specification or Letters Patent. [Patented Feb,

Application filed July 20, 1920. Serial No. 397,607. a

Tith these general objects in view, the invention 'resides in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

,In the accompanying drawings:

Figure .1 represents a verticallongitudinal sectional view, taken approximately on the plane of the line 1-1 of Figure 3; I i FigureQ is a substantially horizontal section on theplane of the line 22 of Figure '1.

Figure 3 is an end elevational view, partly in'lsection, of themachine parts illustrated in Figure 1. 1 a m 7 Figure 4 is a detail longitudinal vertical sectional view through one end of the machine, said section being also taken substantially on the plane of the line 1 -1 of Figure 3, and showing the counting mechanism in a difi'erentposition from that shown 1nF1gure1,.and

-F1gure5 1s anenlarged long tudinalzsec tionalview of a counting finger and as sociatedparts.. 1 i

In these drawings I have illustrated only so muchof a hairpinseparating and count ing machine "asis necessary/to explain the present invention; reference may be had, if

necessary, to thedra-wings and specification of the application hereinbefore re-ferred'to. Therefore, it is to be understood that; the featuresof the present invention maybe incorporated into different types of'separating and counting machines, and that various,

- changes may be madein the different parts as illustrated to vpermit the principles to be used not only in connection with hairpin machines, but also for separating and counting other articles of a somewhat similar nature; y i

Referring more specifically to the drawings," it will be notedthat the separating table 1 is supported atone end on the upper endof a table support2, and is inclined upwardly towards its receiving end (not shown). This table consists of a supporting frame'S, which is'securedto a brackets, and

has a bottomplatefi on which area series of longitudinally extending spaced and parallel ribs 6, the ends of said ribs \being extended beyond the discharge end portion of the bottomplate'5, asindicated at, 6",:the I ribs ;6 thus I defining longitudinal and parallel guidew ys' down which ha pins. are

adapted to slide. Above the table- 1 ad jacent its discharge end is located a sweep mechanismf, which includes radially extending sweep arms 8, having hairpin engaging fingers 9 on their free ends which are adapted to engage between theribs 6.. Also disposed adjacent this end of the separating table 1, but located beneath the same, is an agitating mechanism which consists of means for intermittently. tapping the underside of the table bottom 5, so as to joggle f the hairpins thereon. In its preferred embodiment this mechanism consists of an arcuate bar 10 secured intermediate its ends on arock shaft 11, and having its opposite ends arranged to strike the bottom plate/ at spaced points. A rockerarm 12 extends frointhe bar or-from the shaft 11, so as to provide means for oscillating the former, a rod 13 being slidable through an opening therein and'havingan eccentriostrap 1,4011 one end. Surrounding the rod 13, on each side. of the rocker arm-12 are expansile springs 15, the remote endsof which engage adjustable stops 16. An eccentric strap 14 is disposed around an eccentric 17 secured upon driving of the parts of theimachine. 'By this arrangement the table bottom 5, at its discharge end, is intermittently tapped bythe opposite ends-of the oscillatory bar arotating shaft 18 which may be used for J 10 to keep the hairpins whichare disposed within the guideways :in motion, whereby to prevent a quantity of the sameaccumulating at this end of the table. In connection Withthis agitating mechanism I 7 employ a means whereby the hairpins will reach a plurality of conveyor Ewheels 19, one of which is located at thewend of each ofthe guideways between thelribs 6,;at -av uniform speed. In other words, the: transversely disposed rotary brush roller2Q.is located between the sweep mechanism 7 andthe conveyon Wheels 519, and the "bristles of the brush lightly engage with the hairpins as the 'same passthereunder. 'The sweep mechanism 7 and the brush roller 20 are;operated simultaneously, but

in aopposite directions, they being connectedby'means' of a sprocket'chain or the like 21.

"From each of the conveyor wheels 19, the hairpins are fed onto co-operating magazine plates 22;these plates being downwardly inclinedrtoward the frontend of the machine'so that the hairpins willslide to'the lower end. The downward movement ofthe hairpins, designated i nthe accompanying drawing bythe a; l character-H, is" limited by a transverse vertically positioned end plate 2 3,]the same forming one part of a magazine frame 24', which frame is connected at its rear end to the u per e'nd portion of the-table support 2"by a bracket 25, the "lower endjbeing held fin rigidposition by braces 26. v

"The mechanism for simultaneously countingfoff 'a" like-number* of hairpins on each ofe ,edge of its 'co-operating magazine .plate 22 the magazine plates 22, is carried on the magazine frame 24 above said plates. At each side end of the frame 24 is an upstand- .ing bracket arm 27 the upper ends of which are connected by. a supporting brace rod 28, havinga hand wheel: 29 journally mounted in its central portion. This brace rod 28 also has a pair of hanger arms oscillatorily journaled thereon adjacent the bracket arms 27, the lower ends of the hanger arms being connected by a carrying her 31. A crank 32 projects rearwardly from the intermediate portion oftlie' carrying bar 31,, and has the lower end of a pitman 33-pivoted' thereto, the upper end of said pitmanbeing connected with one of the spokes ofthe handwheel 29 at a point spaced from the hub thereof; tVhen these parts are inoperative they are arranged as indicated in Figure 4, a stop pin-34 c'a'rrie'd-byithe handwli'eel29 being then in engagement a stop finger 35 fixed to the rod28"; i

As is'clearly showninFigure 2, the carry ing bar 31 extends transversely acrossthe magazinerplates' 22 adjacent their lower end portions, and this bar is used'for supportinl a plurality of counting device's,.one of whic isdesigned forfuse with each of the maga zine'pl-ate's 22. The preferred embodiment of each of these counting devicesis most clearly, depicted in Figure 5, wherein oneof the same is shown on an enlarged scale. That is to s'ayeach counting device'fconsists offa supportin rod 36, disposed in a transverse opening 6 in the bar arena secured marjustedpositions therein by a set screw'38; and a counting fingerI39. This fingeris slidable through the bearing of a'head'4O on the outer. or free end of the'rod 36,"and"e xtends transversely of the axis of'th latter.

the lower pointederidfof thefinger3'9 is brought into engagement with the 'upper resilientcushioning means in the form been expansile spring 41 is provided. This spring is'located betweenithe head 40, and a pin 42 extending transversely through the finger adjacent its lower end, the upper end portion.

thereof "being threaded and provided with adjustable stop nuts 43. A key 44 extending" into the bearing of the head 40 andinto a keyxvayin the thereof.

As will be appreciated from the drawings;

the handwheel 29 is used-"for .inovingthe several counting fingersinto and out of} engagement with their eo-operat ng' magas zine plates 22. In the use of the Tcounting devices, provision is made for movin'g the. fingers 39 rearwardly along the plates 22,

when in engagement therewith so as to separate the majority of the hairpins H from the; measured quantities at the extreme lower nds of said'magazine plates. For this put-1* i3};

finger 39 prevents rotation Inasmuch as in the operation ofthe device .posea .rock shaft45lis journal-1y jmounted over-the magazine plates 22, an'dhas a :pair of cranks 46 extending therefrom and connected with the hanger arms 30 by links 47.

Movement of the rock shaft 45. isiprocured through a pair of operating'lev'ers 48,.wh1ch are connected at their forward endswbiy a handle rod 49, these levers being extended trained therearound and secured thereto at onc'end, the opposite end'having a counter balance weight '52 connected thereto. "This. weight 52 is used for the purpose ofholding the :parts, in any position to which they have been meted asthelresult of operation of the handle rod 4-9.

After a quantit of hair pins have been.

counted off and separated from the main supplies on eachiof the magazine plates 22,

the selected hairpins are elevated above the upper edges of the magazine plates to permit the operator to more readily remove and package the same. The lower front ends of each of the magazine plates 22 are cut out as at 53, thereby forming recesses in which a transversely disposed elevating strip 54 may move. In other words this strip extends between the side ends of the magazine frame 24 and adjacent the front plate 23, and while normally located a considerable distance below the lower ends of the hair-pins H, is readily raised to contact therewith to move the same above the magazine plates. All of the counted quantities of hairpins are simultaneously engaged and elevated by the strip 54 when the same is raised by the rocking of cam fingers 5 5, the same being fixed on short rock shafts 56, which extend through the end plate 23 and have cranks 57 on their outer ends. These cranks are connected by a bar 58, the central portion of which can,

ries an operating handle 59, while one end is connected through a chain or the like 60 with p a counter balance weight 61, the chain being trained over a pulley 62 as shown. The amount of elevation of the strip 54 is variable and readily controlled through an adjustable stop plate 63, saidplate bein mounted upon the end plate 23 and arrange in position to be engaged by one of the cranks 57.

nisms will causecthecounting; fingers 39 :to

contact with ft'he-upper'iedges of themagazine plates'22 between certain aofethe hairpins H thereon. The nuinberiiof hairpins betweenreach of the -fingers39 andthe end plate 23 willbe the same on each-ofthe mag;

iazine plates .22 vandcwill dependeupon the position of the carrying bar- 31, it being ob.- vious ,that if; the idi-stanceythrough which the fingers 39,- are .-forced to move before, coming in .contact with the magazine. plates 22, is

varied, thenumber, of hairpins counted otf willv be likewise changed. In the present device :provision is made: for changing the coi'l nta-ofthe;hairpins by adjusting .jarma36 b -;means.of .screw 39. I The :next operation tossepa-rate the countfidquantities of hairpins from thema i-n supplies on the magazine platesya'nd this .is accomplished as hereinbefore indicated; by

moving the, fingers39 rearwardly while in contact with the edges of said; platefs.;.,'1 o

obtain such movement, the operator moves the handle rod 49 from the normal inactive position as shown in Figure 4 to the operative position as shown in Figure 1. Movement of the parts is limited by the engagement of one of the hanger arms'30' with a stop 65, but the hairpins are thereby shifted i sufiiciently to clear the cutout portions 53 and eliminate the possibility of any of the uncounted hairpins being engaged by the elevating strip 54. l

The third operation which the operator performs is the actuation of the elevating mechanism through the movement of the f handle'59. This raises the strip 54 and all of the counted quantities of hairpins are raised above their magazine strips. After all of the elevated quantities of hairpins are removed and packaged, or otherwise disposed of, all of the parts are manually re- 7 turned to their usual positions, and'the hereinbefore described operations repeated.

I claim: I 1. In a machine of the class described, a

article magazine, means for segregating a predetermined number of articles from the total, means for moving the remainder of the articles away from theselected articles,

and means for removing the selected articles from the magazine.

2. Ina machine of the class described, a I

magazines away from the selected articles.

on the corresponding magazines, and means several magazines;

for removin g the selected; articles frorn the f 41in am'achine' ofithe class-described; an articlemagazme, means for segregatm a predetermined number 'ofarticles from t e total; means for moving the'remainder of the articles away from the selected articles, and r means-for elevating the selected articles above the magazine to faci-litate rem0val.-

5.31:1" a nachine of the class described, an article magazine; means for segregating a predetermined numberof articles from the total,;n1eans for moving the rernainder of the articles away from: the-selected arti'cles, means for elevating the selected "articles above 1 the magazine to facilitate removal, and means :for varying "the degree of elem.-

.tion of said articles.

6. a machine of the class described; an article magazine plate havingfa'number of articles disposed thereonin abutting irein the county of Outagamie and .Wisconsin'.

'latiOn, means. movable between certain of said articles to separate a predetermined number from: the: total;- means for slidin the remainder of the articles along 1 sad plate to;separate the same from-the selected articles; and means" for elevating the selected articles above said plate" to facilitate removalr. g r

7;: In a machine of the class described, a receivingand separating table adapted to have articles move thereover, a-magaz ine at the discharge end of the table; an oscillatory bard-pivoted intermediate ends, and means for making the bar to alternately brin gagement with the table. a 1 "In testimony that Iclaimthefore oing Ihave hereunto set my hand :at A p eton tate of HOM R PQSMIT H.

g its opposite ends into striking en 

